Nine points separate the UMass men’s basketball team from an undefeated record.
The Minutemen have three losses: three points at Northeastern on Dec. 13, five points against Bryant on Dec. 21 and one point in double overtime Dec. 30 against George Mason. They had a shot to win or send each of those to overtime late but didn’t execute during the pivotal possession.
“I think it’s completely situational. The guys we have, we know we’re capable of closing a game. It’s just a matter of us doing it,” UMass sophomore Tre Mitchell said. “Once we close out a game, we’ll understand how to do that better moving forward.”
Their next opportunity is at George Washington at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Washington. UMass hasn’t played since falling to the Patriots, a game where the Minutemen led by eight with a minute left and took multiple possession leads in overtime and double OT, after its Saturday tilt with Saint Louis was postponed.
“We all, in that game, would like a play back. I may want a play call back. We can all point to something in that game that we would have done differently,” UMass coach Matt McCall said. “A lot of teams in that situation, especially young teams, would completely fold. And we didn’t. We made some mistakes down the stretch and we showed some resolve and resilience.”
UMass (2-3, 1-1 Atlantic 10) has lost three of its past four games. George Washington (3-7, 2-1 A-10), conversely, enters the matchup winning two of its past three games. The Colonials held off Duquesne with a last-second defensive stand on Sunday at the Charles E. Smith Center.
“I think we’re a dangerous team with that kind of momentum, with the kind of guys that we have on this team that can emerge and make plays,” George Washington coach Jamion Christian said after defeating the Dukes.
George Washington boasts two of the Atlantic 10’s top four scorers in James Bishop (19.8 points per game) and Jamison Battle (18.3).
“When you talk about a 1-2 punch, I think they’re number one in our league. I think it’s unique that they’re both left-handed players,” McCall said.
Bishop is a guard who challenges defenses with his shooting (36 percent from 3) and passing (5.8 assists per game). He orchestrates George Washington’s offense from the pick and roll.
Battle provides size on the wing and was named the A-10 Player of the Week on Monday.
“It’s a matter of us making the proper adjustments and understanding our defensive rotations,” Mitchell said.
Michell has been the key to UMass’ wins, scoring more than 30 in both victories. He only averages 15.67 points per game in the losses, and that is buoyed by 23 in 42 minutes against George Mason.
“In those games I struggled to get myself going. I don’t think I prepared myself mentally the proper way. Coming out the gates I didn’t have the right mindset,” Mitchell said. “When I’m in those situations, I think about what else I can do. I know I’ve got a lot more I can bring to the table.”
McCall often alludes to Mitchell’s willingness and ability to pass out of double teams. He, and all of the Minutemen, have struggled against zone defenses over the previous two games. That’s been an emphasis over the previous week, though offense hasn’t been UMass’ biggest issue. The Minutemen rank ninth in the country in scoring. They’re second in possessions per game and fouls drawn, showing their willingness to push the pace and attack the basket.
“Our offensive numbers are solid, pretty impressive to be honest with you. When (Mitchell) gets doubled and fires it out, we’ve got to make open shots and shoot the ball and shoot it with confidence,” McCall said. “We’re trying to stay positive with our players. They’re doing some good things. We have to continue to put them in positions to be successful.”
BACK IN BLACK – UMass will wear black alternate uniforms against the Colonials after a successful Twitter campaign lobbying athletic director Ryan Bamford for them over the summer.
The genesis of the idea formed in the spring and summer when the team was apart and meeting on Zoom. Tre Mitchell and Kolton Mitchell sparked the campaign.
“It was during the time we were away from our guys trying to do some things as a team, just trying to have fun in a difficult time,” McCall said. “It kind of took off.”
Thread Count: 2⃣⚫ï¸2⃣1⃣#Flagship🚩 pic.twitter.com/Lm21UmabST
— UMass Athletics (@UMassAthletics) January 5, 2021
Seeing the Minutemen in black against George Washington may dredge up horror scenes for UMass fans. They famously wore black alternates against the Colonials in February 1996 while ranked No. 1 and undefeated.
George Washington beat them 86-76 at the Mullins Center, ending the chance at a perfect season.
“We’re excited to put them on and go to work in them,” Tre Mitchell said.
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.